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Hypermetropia or long sightedness symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment

Long-sightedness, also known as hypermetropia or hyperopia is a common vision disorder. It results from the overall power of the eye not being strong enough, or the length of the eye being too short.

Surgical correction is a treatment option for hypermetropia, including laser eye surgery and clear lens exchange.

If you have questions about hypermetropia and the treatment options that are available for you, please call us on 0203 369 2020, or request a call back.

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What happens?

When the power of the eye is not strong enough, or the length of the eye is too short, the rays of light that enter the eye fall behind the retina rather than falling on the retina in focus. Hypermetropia can result in blurred vision, primarily at near distance, but depending on its severity it can also affect distance vision.

This is a common condition that can occur at any age. However, because hypermetropia is caused by the eye being too short or the optical components of the eye not being strong enough, it is quite common for children to have small degrees of long-sightedness that they may grow out of over time as their eyes grow longer.

What are the symptoms?

People with hypermetropia may suffer from:

Headaches
Eye strain
Blurred vision
in some instances, squints (eye turning).

These signs and symptoms are worse when conducting near vision tasks like reading, and may be intermittent. Hypermetropia symptoms can manifest themselves during periods when the patient is doing lots of close work, for example, during exam periods for school children. In the short term, the visual system can compensate for small amounts of long-sightedness but this can become problematic if effort is exerted over prolonged periods of time.

Diagnosis and prescriptions

Hypermetropia can be diagnosed by an optometrist during a routine eye examination, and common forms of vision correction can be prescribed to alleviate symptoms.

Positive lenses are prescribed to increase the overall power of the eye, reduce the amount of effort the visual system is exerting to overcome any hyperopia present, and alleviate any manifest symptoms that the patient is suffering from as a result.

Eye prescriptions usually involve several numbers. The figure that is relevant to hypermetropia is Sphere (sometimes abbreviated to Sph). This describes how strong your lenses should be, and is measured in dioptres (D for short). A positive number, for example, 1.5D, indicates hypermetropia. (Negative numbers indicate short-sightedness or myopia).

The more severe the long sightedness, the further away your Sphere prescription will be from zero. So 0.5 D would denote a mild case of hypermetropia, whereas 6D would be severe.

What are the treatment options?

Hypermetropia can be treated with corrective contact lenses or spectacles. Alternatively, eye surgery is an option that can be very effective for suitable candidates.

Traditional correction: glasses or contact lenses in the form of positive lenses.
Surgical correction: The two surgical procedures available are Laser Eye Surgery and Clear Lens Extraction. The latter is the same as cataract surgery but involves the removal of a clear crystalline lens (with no cataract).

If your hypermetropia treatment of choice is surgical correction, it is important to talk through your choice with your eye surgeon. There are many factors to consider, including your age, how severe your hypermetropia is, the thickness of your corneas and whether you have any other eye conditions.

Outstanding professionals

All surgeons have been dual fellowship trained at centres of excellence in London and internationally.

Consultant led care

Bespoke treatment plan tailored directly by your surgeon with comprehensive aftercare and support.

World-leading technology

We have invested in the best currently available technology for laser eye surgery and lens surgery

Multiple locations

Our clinic in Central London and other clinics in London, Hertfordshire and Kent are equipped with the latest technology

Video consultations

For those who feel unable to attend in person we are now offering expert support through video consultations for self-pay & insured patients

0% Finance Options

We are partnered with Novuna and can offer 0% finance for all of our eye surgery procedures. Our affordable finance can make it easier to spread the cost of surgery over a number of months if required.

What makes our treatment unique?

Treatment tailored for you

You are always at the centre of everything we do. We do not offer a one size fits all approach but rather customise every single treatment to your individual visual needs, so you’ll always get the best procedure for your eyes and your vision

The choice for healthcare professionals

Our surgeons are known the world over and are some of the best in the country, with over 30,000 completed surgeries between them. We treat many surgeons, doctors and anaesthetists who also refer their friends and family to us as they know they will be in safe hands with our expert surgeons.

State of the art technology

We have spared no expense. Eye surgery requires perfect precision, that’s why we have invested in only the latest and most advanced technology. We are not tied into any particular company or manufacturer which means we have complete freedom to chose the best from the many options
available.

Experts you can trust

Patients need to be able to trust us with their eyes. We are honest with our approach and offer the very best evidence-based treatment with your best interests always at heart. We pride ourselves on recruiting and retaining the best staff in the business to ensure that you are supported throughout every step of your journey.